GIA MARIAM GEORGE
Abstract
Ageing has increasingly emerged as a critical social issue in Kerala, a state often celebrated for its high human development indicators but now facing profound demographic transitions. Rising life expectancy, sharply declining fertility rates, and large-scale migration of the working-age population—particularly youth migration to other Indian states and abroad—have significantly altered traditional family structures and care arrangements. Within this context, older women constitute a particularly vulnerable group, as they tend to live longer than men and are more likely to experience widowhood, economic dependency, and social isolation. This report examines the intersection of ageing, gender, and human security through a primary, field-based study of 26 women above the age of 60 residing in the Kottayam district of Kerala. Adopting a qualitative-cum-quantitative research design, the study explores multiple dimensions of human security among elderly women, including economic security, access to healthcare, social support systems, emotional well-being, and experiences of institutional care. Primary data were collected through structured and semi-structured interactions, allowing respondents to articulate their lived experiences, perceptions of security, and coping mechanisms in later life. Attention was paid to variations in living arrangements (family homes versus old age homes), educational background, marital status, and sources of income, in order to assess how these factors influence aging experiences.
The findings reveal a striking uniformity in the lived experiences of respondents, despite apparent socio-economic and demographic differences. Most women reported feelings of loneliness, emotional insecurity, and a sense of dependence—either on family members or on institutional caregivers—as central aspects of their everyday lives. Migration of children and the weakening of extended family networks emerged as key contributors to emotional distress, often outweighing material concerns such as income or housing. While some respondents had access to pensions or financial support, economic security alone did not translate into emotional or social well-being. Notably, only three respondents demonstrated high levels of overall human security, while two experienced acute insecurity across multiple dimensions; significantly, both groups were residents of old age homes. This suggests that institutional care does not automatically result in either security or insecurity, but rather that the quality of care, social interaction, emotional support, and sense of dignity within such institutions play a decisive role in shaping outcomes. The majority of respondents fell within a moderate to low human security range, characterised by basic survival needs being met but accompanied by emotional neglect and social isolation.
Overall, the study reveals the extremely gendered nature of aging in Kerala, where women’s life courses—shaped by unpaid care work, limited asset ownership, and dependence within patriarchal family structures—continue to affect their security in old age. It highlights the emotional consequences of migration and the erosion of intergenerational co-residence, while also drawing attention to the important, and often under-acknowledged, role played by family networks, religious organisations, and community-based institutions in mitigating insecurity. The report argues for a more holistic approach to ageing policies in Kerala—one that goes beyond economic assistance and healthcare provision to address emotional well-being, social connectedness, and dignity for elderly women.
Keywords: Ageing, Gender, Human Security, Feminisation of Ageing
For the full Text see SSe-Sphere Working Paper – Gia.
